3 Benefits of Eating Out Less and Cooking Your Own Meals

It has become all too common in today's disposable culture to trade quality for lower prices and convenience.  The old adage They don't make 'em like they used to has proven unfortunately true in many cases whether speaking about appliances, automobiles, electronics, or furniture.  However, as of late, I've discovered the horrible quality of food that we have settled for in America should be added to the top of the list of  things we've been duped into accepting as good. Through a series of friendships and influences, I've learned to love the many benefits of eating out less and cooking my own meals. Here's 3 of the biggest benefits right off the top of my head.


First, food quality of home cooked meals far surpasses anything outside of a select few high-end restaurants you might visit with family. This has everything to do with the freshness of the food.  If you don't know what an extreme impact the freshness of vegetables and meats can have on the flavor of your meal, I challenge you to compare the flavor of a deep red, home-grown tomato to that of your local supermarket's pale red option.  Or, compare the seafood from your local area restaurants to that of coastal regions where fresh fish is caught daily and brought in to cook and serve. The differences are obvious and extreme. No matter the meal, cooking at home allows you to pick the freshest options available and prepare them promptly while the ingredients still contain maximum flavor. I've had no formal training in cooking, but after a couple of years of regular practice in the kitchen, me and my wife can't find any restaurant short of a 5-star option that can compete with the flavor and quality of the meals we are preparing at home. This has led to us almost never eating out. Home cooked meals simply taste better.

Second, cooking at home provides high-quality fun family time. Whether firing up the grill, the smoker, or bringing butter to a sizzle in American cast iron, meal preparation time provides a great opportunity to catch up with family. My current job keeps me tied to work 6 days a week or more sometimes. This being the case, it's important to maximize time at home to catch up with one another, laugh, vent work frustrations, and just enjoy each other's company.  We like to play our favorite music in the kitchen or on the back deck, sample as we cook, and revel at the blessings of good clean living. I often notice a measurable reduction in stress after an evening of cooking good food and then sharing the meal with family. It's almost like we were meant to do that sort of thing...

Third, eating at home will save you major coin. Several years back, money became abnormally tight for reasons I can't recall now. This led to a closer look at my finances than I normally give them. I was somewhat shocked at the amount of money I was spending eating out. Nightly trips to the local sandwich shop or fast food joint averaged anywhere from $8 to $10 a meal. 5 days a week. When money is tight, finding an extra $200 in your budget by eliminating eat out expenses makes a substantial difference. I recently took a trip to Publix for a Tuesday night cookout and spent about $75 on some nice cuts of meat and some vegetables. I grilled two large steaks, six chicken breasts, five beer bratwursts, and a bone in ham-- along with sides. This delicious feast fed me and the wife for the next five or six days. If I offered you a plate of the meal we prepared that Tuesday or the junk I was in the habit of eating every night several years ago, I have no doubt which option you would choose.

These are just a few reasons off the top of my head to encourage you to eat out less and start to enjoy home cooked meals. Of course we could go on about the health side effects of processed foods, the questionable sanitation in many restaurants, or the total lack of fulfillment that comes from not taking part in the exclusively human ritual of food preparation and cooking. I think the point is made though. Go fire up the grill, click on the gas stove top, turn on the tunes, laugh with your family, and enjoy a mouth-watering, home-cooked meal.